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ELIGIBIILTY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MHIRT PROGRAM
Participants must be full-time, enrolled students at the UM and be pursuing degrees in the biomedical or behavioral sciences, at the time of appointment. Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents. Only students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences*, students from health disparities backgrounds, or students with a proven commitment to the elimination of health disparities are eligible to apply.
*
African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Alaskan Native,
Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Rural Appalachians.
Undergraduates apply as sophomores or juniors so that they will have completed at least two years of coursework in a major related to biomedical or behavioral science before the international experience. Students with majors outside biomedical and behavioral science will be considered only if they plan biomedical/behavioral science careers. Graduating seniors are not eligible unless they will be available for post-return training (graduating in December or acceptance to UM for graduate or medical school).
Masters students graduating in the spring prior to training are not eligible. Graduate students in doctoral programs should consider developing their MHIRT project into a doctoral dissertation. For this to be possible, most will need to participate relatively early in their graduate school years. UM medical students are only able to participate after their 1st year due to limited flexibility in scheduling once clinical rotations begin. Medical students must demonstrate a strong interest in research.
Tiffany Welch (Jamaica, 2004) interviews a mother for her project
"Caregiver behavior during weaning."
SELECTION CRITERIA
- Undergraduate applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and/or show evidence of exceptional scientific interest and talent as attested to by references and interviews. Students with GPAs less than 3.0 will be considered only if they have attained good grades in courses related to this training experience. Their academic record must be sufficiently strong to have a realistic expectation of being accepted into graduate/medical school. Extenuating circumstances that have affected the GPA may be discussed with the program director.
- Undergraduate applicants should have junior standing (with some exceptions) at the start of international training and have completed two years of coursework in a major related to biomedical or behavioral science. Students with majors outside biomedical and behavioral science will be considered only if they plan biomedical/behavioral science careers.
- Student applicants must plan to seek an advanced degree (i.e., Ph.D. or M.D) in a biomedical or behavioral field and be considering a career in biomedical or behavioral research.
- Graduate students must be in good academic standing and submit a preliminary proposal for research that will constitute, or lay the foundation for, their dissertation study.
- Medical students must be in good academic standing and submit a preliminary proposal for an independent research study or subproject.
- Applicants for the Chile site must have proficiency in conversational Spanish.
English is sufficient at other sites.
- Applicants must have undertaken experiences that demonstrate an interest in understanding and/or ameliorating the causes, consequences, and/or nature of economic, psychosocial, and physical health problems that disproportionately affect poor and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. or in developing countries. These experiences might include coursework, practica, internships, work on a relevant research project, previous jobs, volunteer activities, etc.
- Applicants must demonstrate strong interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills (attested to by interviews, group session, and references).
- Applicants must demonstrate maturity and independence (attested to by interviews, group session, and references).
- Priority may be given to applicants who would not otherwise have the opportunity for an international training experience (e.g., low-income students, first-generation college students).
In selecting the top-ranking candidates, the Selection and Advisory Committees will also consider the best match of trainee to project and the composition of the groups at each site.
MHIRT: NIH Purpose & University of Michigan Goals
MHIRT2: Specific Training Objectives
MHIRT4: Participating UM Faculty & International Sites
MHIRT5: Research Training Information MHIRT6: Award & Application Information
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